Underwater Visual Surveys

Dataset Overview

The uvs/ dataset contains all data collected using Pristine Seas’ SCUBA-based underwater visual survey (UVS) protocols. These methods assess reef fish, benthic cover, mobile invertebrates, and coral recruits at spatially co-located sites using a standardized, depth-stratified design.

Each UVS site typically includes multiple stations across depth strata, with several survey protocols conducted in parallel.

The dataset structure balances:

• Protocol modularity: each sub-method (BLT, LPI, inverts, recruits) has dedicated tables
• Spatial consistency: shared sites and stations tables ensure alignment across protocols

This architecture enables both focused analyses (e.g., fish biomass by depth) and integrated reef assessments across taxa and trophic levels.

uvs/
├── sites               # Deployment-level metadata for each UVS dive
├── stations            # Depth-stratified sampling units within each site
├── blt_stations        # Fish transect metadata (BLT)
├── blt_observations    # Raw fish counts
├── blt_biomass_by_taxa # Station-level biomass summaries
├── lpi_stations        # Benthic transect metadata
├── lpi_counts          # Raw point-intercept records
├── lpi_cover_by_taxa   # Percent cover summaries
├── inverts_stations    # Invertebrate transect metadata
├── inverts_counts      # Raw invertebrate observations
├── recruits_stations   # Coral recruit transect metadata
├── recruits_counts     # Raw coral recruit counts

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Tables

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Sites (uvs.sites)

This table stores site-level metadata for all UVS dives. Each row represents a unique SCUBA deployment where one or more survey protocols (e.g., fish, benthic, invertebrates) were conducted.

It inherits all core fields fromexpeditions.sites (e.g., site ID, coordinates, date), and adds UVS-specific fields that describe habitat type, exposure, protection status, and the survey methods deployed at the site (Table 1).

Table 1: Additional fields in the uvs.sites table, beyond the core site schema.

Field	Type	Required	Description
site_name	STRING	false	Local site name used in previous surveys or by local partners.
habitat	STRING	true	Dominant habitat type (e.g., fore reef, patch reef, fringing reef).
exposure	STRING	true	Wave and wind exposure (e.g., windward, leeward, lagoon).
in_mpa	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if the site is located inside a marine protected area.
blt	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if fish belt transects were conducted at this site.
lpi	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if benthic point intercept surveys were conducted.
inverts	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if invertebrate surveys were conducted.
recruits	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if coral recruit transects were conducted.
ysi	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if YSI environmental profiles were collected.
photomosaic	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if a photomosaic survey was conducted.
edna	BOOLEAN	false	TRUE if eDNA samples were collected at the site.

Controlled vocabulary

habitat

• fore reef — Outer reef slope exposed to ocean swell.
• back reef — Sheltered zone behind the reef crest
  
• fringing reef — Reef growing directly from the shoreline
  
• patch reef — Isolated reef outcrop within a lagoon or sandy area
  
• reef flat — Shallow, flat reef section, often exposed at low tide
  
• channel — Natural break or passage between reef structures
  
• seagrass — Vegetated, soft-bottom habitat dominated by seagrasses
  
• rocky reef — Reef formed by consolidated rock
  
• other — Habitat not captured by the above categories

exposure

• windward — Facing prevailing winds and swell
  
• leeward — Sheltered from prevailing winds
  
• lagoon — Within an enclosed or semi-enclosed reef lagoon
  
• other — Exposure type not described above